Buccaneers poised for 2026 bounce-back if 1 thing happens originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The way the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ season ended in 2025 was nightmare fuel for Todd Bowles and his staff.
As such, a huge overhaul off the field, coupled with some personnel changes, now leaves us unsure what to expect in 2026.
Will the offense be able to cover for the loss of Mike Evans? Will the defense finally avoid the injury bug and be able to play consistent football?
For Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano, he thinks that if the younger players on the roster improve, the Bucs could be in the thick of everything in 2026.
“The Buccaneers got younger this offseason, but now they’re banking on inexperienced players to fill the voids left by Evans, David and Dean,” Manzano wrote. “If the younger players can make the most of their opportunities, the Buccaneers could quickly rebound to become a viable threat in the division and the conference.”
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Bucs reliance on young players not ideal
For a team that is now expected to bounce back and be NFC South champs, possibly even more, having younger players slated for bigger roles isn’t exactly a good formula.
Yes, we have seen it work, and the Buccaneers’ younger players have the talent to not only be productive in 2026 but also be really key cogs in Tampa Bay’s machine.
The question is, if there are wobbles early, can the Buccaneers withstand it? After all, Atlanta, Carolina, and New Orleans are all expected to improve.
So, the margin for error is tiny, and when young players are key to moving the franchise forward, that’s a lot of pressure on them.
But we have seen in the NFL that some players rise to the pressure. Can the Buccaneers?